God has killed me - Part 24

"We do not learn in school how to swim even in some places there are swimming pools or rivers...or like here the ocean in which we could learn how to swim...but we just do not teach our children how to swim," commented Joseph Trebarh seeing a sugar and butter bread selling returning home with all loaves sold. She was stopped by a customer that was also a friend and both ladies had a short chat. "You see, Mr Karl...we are busybodies talking and talking our life away. You people walk home straight, just greetings friends and neighbours and do something more productive and useful than talking and talking about the affairs of others. These ladies, I bet with you, are just busy talkers about other people instead of minding their own business and focus on a brighter future!"

"That is how we are!" added Mary Trebarh that quite obvious enjoyed another piece of chocolate cream cake Mr Karl had brought out from the fridge. In the heat of Ghana to keep chocolate and cream cake out of a fridge would soonest destroy the delight. To store chocolate in a fridge is not the best of the solution as chocolate absorbs the odour of everything that is stored inside the fridge and contaminates it. But as the heat easily attacks the cocoa butter inside the chocolate that is, in the end, all someone can do.

"What annoys me so much these days at nights here is, the noise that comes from the church across the street just behind Cable Gold Radio station," mentioned Mr Karl his anger. He had learnt not to insult any Man of God, not even a Prophet, but did not want anything more at nights, after long and hard working hours, to hear nothing around him, no cars and no drums from late-night church services. The Central Government had given out the order through churches should keep their noise level down low so not to disturb their neighbours, but most churches did not mind the instruction given. "I know to report the Prophet to Sakumono Police Station just here few blocks away from me...that would be useless as I know most of the Police Officers would do nothing being members of that church. Even if my position that I have now, they would never mind me and do what is right. Therefore I have decided one day, I think coming Friday for midnight service, just to walk over and see with my very own eye what is really going on there and who that prophet so many people seem to like and trust...what kind of person that man really is."

"It is always best to see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears before you say anything about a person. Maybe even that man is for you, you never know. It is often when someone thinks by his own mind that a certain Man of God is a disturbing factor that in the end just right that Man of God is the one saving you and blessing you. You can never know. So, I support your idea to go over there to the church called Glorious Wave Church International of Prophet Doctor Emmanuel Badu Kobi and check him out. Then you will see what happens. Just keep your mind and your heart open and leave the rest to God, Mr Karl!"

"I will do as you instruct me!" laughed Mr Karl and gave Joseph Trebarh his hands for friendship. "You are a truly good friend indeed."

"You arrive in Ghana as a poor man walked through this city and encountered many lessons to learn from. You always keep a sharp eye on things and us as a people. Nothings slip your mind, you know the many corners of our country, our feelings, our soul, and spirit by now. Sometimes I think you know us even better than we know ourselves," said Joseph Trebarh while holding a picture Mr Karl wanted to see hanging at the wall next to the small kitchen.

"Since the Government in Flagstaff House gave me this area here around Sakumono to manage on their behalf...but more so on behalf of the people living in this area as an Area Manager with great powers for decision making...I can no longer walk through the streets without people recognizing me and greeting me. Many even come closer to me to tell me their worries and concerns, their wishes, and their dreams. Small children always come to me and touch my hand. They want to find out whether or not my skin is as soft as they think. To their great surprise, they run off smiling and laughing saying to each other that white skin is so smooth and softer than their own. These children brighten up my heart always...I simply love them...too much!"

"When you travel our country up and down and from the East to the West, you will see many projects started by the Government of a certain party. Once the opposition is in power the new Government will not complete the structures rather leave them to rod as they do not fit into their agenda and cannot give them credit for their labour. Calculating all the money wasted in such political thinking and shameful inaction...Mr Karl...you calculate, and your heart stands still. As a Ghanaian, you better hide yourself from this world and the people we ask for money as beggars. It is simply unbelievable," reminded Joseph Trebarh his German very good friend of the truth his country is faced with and the agony Ghanaians endure even more so since Democracy had taken over their minds and political system.

"Let me add Komenda Sugar factory to this," laughed Mr Karl his head off once more and added, "launched as a great intervention to provide for seven thousand direct and indirect jobs...and never any job had been provided. The sugar cane seedlings were the wrong sort with not enough sugar in them, the land was not enough for planting sugar cane in the needed quantity to run such a factory. Such a factory once it stops operation will never come onto the market again. The machines rust in the bush of Komenda and to repair them is so expensive in which case to build a completely new one is the order of the day. I mean when you initiate such intervention you most certainly must consider all its aspects such as selling of the sugar to consumers. The amount of imported sugar must get reduced so the new factory can be safely produced to the local market and prepare itself to be strong enough for the regional and international market. As a Government, you have to allocate key industries and as long as they are in the infant and teenager stages you have to protect them and stop importing the same products. Protectionism is key in the industrialization process and done by so many other countries around the world so, so successfully. But just we here are not wise enough not to understand simple things like that. And about Komenda Sugar factory, that makes me laugh the most, one year after launching of the factory the sugar prices in the EU was no longer protected by the EU but free-floating. As the consumption in Europe regarding sugar is going down and down for health reasons the farmers and companies in this business have to open up new markets to make a living. Africa is their first call of choice, so they dump sugar onto our continent as nothing can stop them. But yes, we can stop them with the right mindset and way forward. We simply must stop the import of sugar so that our factory can make a living and grow and become strong. We can open up our regional markets easily with the right strategy...but what are we doing instead...wasting money and dumping it into the bush of Ghana...what a shame...what a disgrace. Made in Ghana logo is nice...but we even do not understand that image is key for others to buy our products. And no one can tell you as for now what even we want the international community to understand when they think of Made in Ghana products. Are we producing great products at a great price, low price, are we creating quality other countries do not produce? So, what does Made in Ghana actually stands for? We do not even know that...so how do we expect others to know and subsequently buy our products. I mean, let's be honest to ourselves...we are a country joking with our destiny...we are really not serious people."

"Mr Karl," looked Joseph Trebarh his German friend straight and deep into the eyes and smiled, "I love it the way you always keep saying `that we`, I can see that you truly and honestly love us Ghanaians and feel to be one of us!"